JAPAN  IN  THE  YEAR  OF 
THE  WAR 


JAMES  H.  PETTEE 


to 

f 

IN  THE  YEAR  OF  THE  WAR 

' / 

CONTAINING 

ENCOURAGING  FACTS  FROM  MISSIONS 


JAPAN 


6 


' /• 

V J A A 


IN  THE  SUNRISE  KINGDOM 


By  James  H.  Pettee 

MISSIONARY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  BOARD  AT  OKAYAMA.  JAPAN 


YOUNG  PEOPLE’S  DEPARTMENT 
AMERICAN  BOARD  OF  COMMISSIONERS  FOR 
FOREIGN  MISSIONS 
14  BEACON  STREET,  BOSTON 
1904 


library  of  the 

STUDENT  VOLUNTEER  MOVEMENT  FOR  FOREIGN  MISSIO  V,^ 

3 West  29th  Street,  New  York  city. 


799 


.■.iJjffsisS 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Columbia  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/japaninyearOOpett 


JAPAN  IN  THE  YEAR  OF  THE 
WAR 

I,  By  Way  of  Introduction 

Japan  has  been  humorously  styled  “the  land 
of  the  rising  yeast.”  But  that  the  yeast  of  a 
vigorous  life  is  working  in  the  sponge  of  this 
Eastern  nation  the  world  — and  Russia  — has  at 
last  discovered.  What  that  yeast  is,  how  it 
works  and  what  it  is  likely  to  accomplish  are 
questions  worthy  of  close  examination.  To  aid 
Congregational  Endeavorers  of  the  West  as 
they  study  these  problems  is  the  object  of  this 
pamphlet. 

We  shall  aim  to  deal  with  facts  rather  than 
theories,  to  give  glimpses  of  processes  rather 
than  horizons  of  probabilities,  to  furnish  loaded 
cartridges  for  the  firing  line  in  the  West 
rather  than  arrange  a grand  review  of  the 
religious  forces  of  the  East.  Moreover  we 
deal  mainly  with  the  immediate  present.  Those 
who  would  know  of  the  Japan  of  Jimmu  Tenno 
— - if  there  was  such  a land  and  such  a fighting 
sovereign  twenty-five  centuries  ago— -or  the 
Japan  of  Hideyoshi  but  three  centuries  back 
3 


Japan 
LiKened  to 
Yeast 


Purpose  of 
Pamphlet 


880 


4 


School  of 
War 


Prominent 

Japanese 

Christians 


and  his  bloody  conquest  of  Korea  with  its 
strange  memorial  the  Ear  Monument  at  Kyoto, 
or  the  Japan  of  half  a century  ago  whose  front 
door  Commodore  Perry  forced  open  in  a blood- 
less war,  are  referred  to  the  histories  and  bi- 
ographies. 

Some  one  has  said  that  the  war  with  China 
was  Japan’s  entrance  examination  to  the  school 
of  the  nations,  while  the  war  with  Russia  is  her 
graduating  test.  War  is  a school  of  terrible 
discipline,  of  floggings  and  bruises,  of  broken 
heads  and  black  marks,  but  Japan  with  her 
twelve  centuries  of  mythical  militarism  and  an 
equal  number  of  undoubted  heroic  history, 
with  her  old  time  loyalty  and  her  new  age 
spirit  of  scientific  progress  is  meeting  the  test 
with  remarkable  success  and  winning  prizes 
every  week. 

II.  The  War  and  Christians 

Vice  Admiral  Uryu,  who  had  the  honor  of 
winning  the  first  victory  in  the  present  war,  is 
a loyal  Christian  who  was  educated  in  America. 
So  was  Vice  Admiral  Serata,  who  died  last 
year.  There  are  in  addition  several  hundred 
other  Christian  men  in  the  army  and  navy. 
Count  .Katsura,  Japan’s  able  premier,  whose 
first  wife  (who  died  in  1890)  wa§  a,  devout 


5 


Christian  lady  and  a member  of  Bancho  Ku- 
miai  (Congregational)  Church,  Tokyo,  has  al- 
ways shown  himself  favorable  to  religious  tol- 
eration and  liberty.  During  the  war  with 
China  he  as  lieutenant  general  did  all  in  his 
power  to  protect  not  only  the  lives  and  prop- 
erty of  foreign  residents  in  Haichen  and  other 
Manchuria  towns,  but  also  the  welfare  of  the 
native  Christians  and  all  peaceably  disposed 
persons. 

In  a recent  interview  with  Rev.  William  Im- 
brie,  d.d.,  a prominent  Presbyterian  mission- 
ary, the  premier  said  among  many  notable  ut- 
terances ; “The  truth  is  that  Japan  stands  for 
religious  freedom.  This  is  a principle  em- 
bodied in  her  constitution  ; and  her  practice  is 
in  accordance  with  that  principle.  In  Japan 
a man  may  be  a Buddhist,  a Christian,  or  even 
a Jew,  without  suffering  for  it.  This  is  so 
clear  that  no  right-minded  man  acquainted 
with  Japan  would  question  it.  But  as  there 
may  be  those  in  America  who  are  not  familiar 
with  the  facts,  it  will  be  well  to  enumerate 
some  of  them.  And  as  in  America  the  matter 
will  naturally  be  regarded  from  the  point  of 
view  of  Christianity,  I will  confine  myself  to 
that  point  of  view. 

“ There  are  Christian  churches  in  every  large 


Religious 

Toleration 


6 


Spread  of 
Churches 
and  Schools 


Property 
Rights  of 
Foreigners 


city  and  in  almost  every  large  town  in  Japan, 
and  they  all  have  complete  freedom  to  teach 
and  worship  in  accordance  with  their  own  con- 
victions. These  churches  send  out  men  to  ex- 
tend the  influence  of  Christianity  from  one  end 
of  the  country  to  the  other  as  freely  as  such  a 
thing  might  be  done  in  the  United  States  and 
without  attracting  much  if  any  more  attention. 
There  are  numerous  Christian  newspapers  and 
magazines  which  obtain  their  licenses  precisely 
as  other  newspapers  and  magazines,  and  as  a 
matter  of  course.  Christian  schools,  some  of 
them  conducted  by  foreigners  and  some  by 
Japanese,  are  found  everywhere,  and  recently 
an  ordinance  has  been  issued  by  the  Depart- 
ment of  Education  under  which  Christian 
schools  of  a certain  grade  are  able  to  obtain  all 
the  privileges  granted  to  government  schools 
of  the  same  grade. 

There  are  few  things  which  are  a better 
proof  of  the  recognition  of  rights  than  the 
right  to  hold  property.  In  many  cases  Asso- 
ciations composed  of  foreign  missionaries  per- 
manently residing  in  Japan  have  been  incorpo- 
rated by  the  Department  of  Home  Affairs. 
These  Associations  are  allowed  to  ‘ own  and 
manage  land,  buildings,  and  other  property, 
for  the  extension  of  Christianity,  the  carrying 


7 


on  of  Christian  education,  and  the  performance 
of  works  of  charity  and  benevolence.’  It  should 
be  added  also  that  they  are  incorporated  under 
the  article  in  the  civil  code  which  provides  for 
the  incorporation  of  Associations  founded  for 
‘purposes  beneficial  to  the  public’;  and  as 
‘their  object  is  not  to  make  a profit  out  of  the 
conduct  of  their  business,’  no  taxes  are  levied 
on  their  incomes.  Presbyterian,  Congrega- 
tional, Baptist,  Episcopal,  Methodist  and  other 
American  missionaries  all  have  such  Associa- 
tions. In  passing  it  may  perhaps  be  worth 
while  to  ask  the  question,  ‘ How  far  do  the 
facts  to  be  found  in  Russia  correspond  with 
all  these  facts  now  stated .?  ’ 

“ The  number  of  those  professing  Christianity 
in  Japan  I do  not  know,  but  it  must  be  a large 
number,  with  a much  larger  number  who  are 
Christian  in  their  affiliations.  The  Japanese 
Christians  are  not  confined  to  any  one  rank  or 
class.  They  are  to  be  found  among  the  mem- 
bers of  the  National  Diet,  the  judges  in  the 
courts,  the  professors  in  the  universities,  the 
editors  of  leading  secular  papers,  and  the 
officers  of  the  army  and  navy.  Christian  liter- 
ature has  entrance  into  the  military  and  naval 
hospitals,  and  a relatively  large  number  of 
the  trained  nurses  employed  in  them  are  Chris- 


IncreasinM 
Recognition 
of  Chris- 
tianity 


8 


Kindness 
in  War 


tian  women.  Recently  arrangements  have 
been  made  by  which  six  American  and  British 
missionaries  and  six  Japanese  Christian  min- 
isters are  to  accompany  the  armies  in  Man- 
churia in  the  capacity  of  spiritual  advisers  to  the 
Christian  soldiers.  I repeat  — Japan  stands 
for  religious  freedom.” 

On  the  part  of  the  Japanese  the  present 
war  has  been  conducted  in  accordance  with 
the  very  highest  principle  of  international  pro- 
cedure ; writes  Dr.  Greene  of  our  own  mission : 

“ So  far  as  we  are  aware,  there  has  been  no 
authenticated  instance  of  unnecessary  severity 
on  the  part  of  the  Japanese  soldiers  toward 
the  Russians,  unless  the  following  incident 
could  be  counted  such  : It  seems  that  in  one 
of  the  battles  or  skirmishes  in  Manchuria  a 
Japanese  soldier  captured  a Russian,  who  sub- 
mitted good-naturedly  and,  so  far  as  his  igno- 
rance of  the  Japanese  language  allowed,  tried 
to  make  himself  agreeable.  After  some  time 
spent  in  amiable  pantomimic  converse,  the  big 
Russian  threw  up  his  arms  and  rushed  upon 
his  captor.  The  latter,  supposing  that  his 
prisoner  was  trying  to  overpower  him,  dis- 
entangled himself,  and  to  guard  against  a 
second  attack  tied  the  Russian’s  hands  with 


9 


more  regard  for  security  than  for  mercy.  On 
delivering  up  his  captive  to  the  officer  in 
charge,  he  was  asked  why  he  had  treated  him 
so  harshly.  His  reply  was  that  he  did  treat 
him  kindly  at  first,  but  that  the  Russian  had 
sprung  on  him  and  tried  to  bite  him.  A little 
investigation,  however,  made  it  clear  that  the 
unfortunate  prisoner,  overwhelmed  by  the  un- 
expected kindness  shown  him  by  one  he  had 
been  taught  to  think  of  as  little  better  than 
a savage,  had  only  sought  in  genuine  Russian 
fashion  to  embrace  and  kiss  his  benefactor.” 

The  Christians  of  Sendai  presented  10,000 
leaflets  containing  a brief  exhortation  and  a 
dozen  well  chosen  Biblical  texts  to  the  officers 
and  soldiers  of  one  division  of  the  army,  and 
as  elsewhere  united  with  non-Christians  in  giv- 
ing the  brave  boys  a fine  send-off.  “He  that 
endureth  to  the  end  shall  be  saved  ” proved 
to  be  the  favorite  passage. 

Dr.  DeForest  reports:  “At  Kanazawa 
Methodists  and  Presbyterians  secured  permis- 
sion to  meet  and  address  the  six  departments 
of  the  ninth  division  of  the  Imperial  army, 
whose  barracks  are  in  that  city.  They  dis- 
tributed a large  quantity  of  appropriate  litera- 
ture among  the  soldiers.  Rev.  G.  W.  Fulton 
is  confident  that  three  good  results  will  follow. 


Gifts  of 
Sendai 
Christians 


Literature 
for  Soldiers 


Christian 

Farewells 


lO 

First,  some  among  the  vast  number  may  accept 
the  Christian  faith.  Second,  the  soldiers  will 
be  prepared  for  further  efforts  along  the  way 
and  for  the  chaplains  at  the  front.  And,  third, 
the  fact  that  the  authorities  have  granted  the 
Christians  this  privilege  will  have  an  influence. 
The  fact  will  be  widely  known,  and  not  only 
the  soldiers  themselves,  but  their  families  and 
the  people  at  large  will  have  less  objection  to 
a faith  that  had  the  sanction  of  the  powers 
that  be  in  this  signal  manner.” 

In  Osaka  Christians  of  every  name,  includ- 
ing many  Endeavorers,  have  united  with  the 
city  people  generally  in  all  forms  of  work  for 
soldiers  and  their  families.  But  it  was  the 
hearty  cheering  of  the  large  company  of  Chris- 
tian preachers  and  missionaries  lined  up  on 
the  side  of  the  road  to  the  harbor  which  drew 
forth  from  the  soldiers  grateful  smiles  and  re. 
sponsive  cheers.  The  booth  of  the  Christians 
was  large  and  conspicuous,  and  the  singing  of 
the  hymns,  “Stand  Up  For  Jesus,”  and  “On- 
ward, Christian  Soldiers,”  led  by  the  cornet, 
drew  the  faces  of  all  the  soldiers  toward  us  as 
they  marched  by.  And  when  the  band  of  the 
Okayama  Orphan  Asylum,  which  happened  to 
be  in  the  city,  came  to  our  assistance  on  two 
afternoons,  the  joy  and  excitement  of  the  sol- 
diers were  intense. 


In  Okayama  the  American  Board  missionary 
women  (look  up  their  names)  have  spent  much 
time  at  the  railroad  station,  either  as  members 
of  the  Red  Cross  Society  caring  for  officers, 
or  in  company  with  the  local  Japanese  Chris- 
tian women  and  other  volunteers  serving  tea, 
sewing  on  buttons  and  saying  farewell  with 
words  of  good  cheer  and  timely  advice  to 
thousands  upon  thousands  of  common  soldiers 
as  they  passed  through  the  city  on  their  way 
to  the  front  or  returned  hence  sick  and 
wounded. 

Said  a soldier  to  one  of  these  missionaries  ; 
“One  Japanese  soldier  is  equal  to  ten  Rus- 
sians, and  if  you  pray  for  him  he  will  be  equal 
to  twenty.”  Of  many  farewell  poems  written 
by  the  soldiers  themselves,  expressing  their 
conviction  that  death  to  save  their  country 
was  the  fate  in  store  for  them,  which  they 
courageously  faced,  here  is  one  : — 

Fall  with  a peaceful  heart 

Petals  of  the  cherry  blossom. 

A favorite  idea  in  the  war  songs,  embodying  a 
play  on  words,  is  that  the  rays  of  the  rising 
sun  (Japan)  drink  up  the  dew  (Russia).  Many 
soldiers  advise  their  wives  and  parents  to 
become  Christians. 


Practical 

Help 


National 

Spirit 

Intense 


12 


Red  Cross 
Missionary 


Vsefal 

Contest 


Another  American  Board  missionary,  Miss 
Parmelee,  of  Matsuyama,  has  thrown  open  her 
house  to  Japanese  soldiers,  and  has  also  served 
as  a Red  Cross  nurse,  caring  for  Russian  pris- 
oners. Citizens  of  Kobe  have  been  specially 
generous  in  their  treatment  of  soldiers  en  route 
to  the  front,  at  times  entertaining  them  for 
two  full  weeks  in  their  own  homes.  The  con- 
duct of  Japanese  soldiers  quartered  in  private 
dwellings  has  been  above  reproach. 

Athletic  sports  now  form  a part  of  the  cur- 
riculum in  girls’  schools  as  well  as  in  boys’. 
An  exhibition  held  last  May  in  the  Peeresses 
school  was  attended  by  the  Empress,  four 
daughters  of  the  Emperor  and  many  other 
titled  people,  together  with  several  distin- 
guished foreigners.  On  this  occasion  no  other 
foreigner  received  such  an  ovation  as  was 
given  to  Mrs.  McGee  of  Philadelphia,  who 
came  to  Japan  to  nurse  sick  and  wounded  sol- 
diers and  sailors.  An  interesting  contest  con- 
sisted in  the  field  hospital  work  of  two  com- 
panies of  girls  representing  Red  Cross  nurses. 
They  made  bandages,  carried  in  the  wounded 
from  the  battlefield,  administered  anaesthetics, 
performed  surgical  operations,  or  seemed  to  do 
so,  dressed  wounds  and  bandaged  broken  heads 


13 

and  shattered  limbs  in  quite  professional  style. 
Mrs.  McGee  and  the  Empress  examined  and 
approved  the  work. 

Mr.  Pedley  of  Maebashi  reports  that  one  day 
in  March  a telegram  was  received  from  an 
evangelist  in  his  field : — “I  am  ordered  out. 
Secure  a successor.”  Though  evangelists  as  a 
rule  are  exempt  from  military  service,  his  was 
by  no  means  a solitary  exception.  On  Febru- 
ary seventh  Major  Uno,  military  instructor 
at  the  Doshisha,  Kyoto,  was  given  a farewell 
in  an  exceedingly  impressive  Sunday  morning 
sunrise  service. 

Dr.  DeForest’s  tract  on  “Why  America 
Sympathizes  with  Japan  ” has  proved  the  most 
popular  and  one  of  the  most  helpful  publica- 
tions among  foreigners  during  recent  years. 
The  substance  of  his  answer  to  the  titled  ques- 
tion is  contained  in  the  following  paragraph  : 
“ It  (the  sympathy  of  Americans  for  Japan)  is 
no  shallow  and  temporary  feeling,  such  as  would 
arise  from  the  friendly  manner  in  which  Com- 
modore Perry  opened  Japan.  Nor  does  it 
come  from  the  fact  that  our  diplomatic  relations 
have  always  been  pleasant  and  mutually  help- 
ful. If  that  were  all  there  would  be  no  such 
enthusiasm  for  Japan  as  is  now  seen  in  Amer- 


Christian 
Leaders 
Ordered 
into  Service 


America 
and  the 
East 


14 


Under  Fire 


A Soldier’s 
Bible 


ica.  It  is  because  Japan  stands  for  those  great 
liberties  of  constitutional  government,  of  uni- 
versal education,  of  equal  justice,  of  religious 
faith,  that  we  are  attracted  to  her  in  this  great 
crisis.  It  is  because  her  international  course 
has  been  honorable.  We  feel  that  the  battle 
which  Japan  is  now  fighting  is  for  humanity. 
. . . If  Japan  wins,  the  light  of  political  and 
religious  liberty  will  flood  the  whole  East  and 
will  aid  the  salvation  of  China  and  also  the 
final  reformation  of  Russia  herself.”  The 
pamphlet  is  given  an  attractive  appearance  by 
its  cover,  which  shows  intertwined  the  flags  of 
these  two  nations  which  have  maintained  so 
fast  a friendship  for  each  other  since  the  days 
of  Commodore  Perry. 

Four  graduates  of  the  Okayama  Orphanage 
are  at  the  front.  One  of  them  writes  back  to 
the  Asylum:  “Yesterday  the  Russian  bullets 
fell  like  hailstones  all  around  me.  I feel  sure 
it  was  owing  to  your  prayers  in  my  behalf  that 
my  life  was  spared.” 

A secular  paper,  the  Japan  Times,  edited  and 
published  by  the  Japanese,  records  the  follow- 
ing : “ A beautiful  reminiscence  is  reported 
from  the  front  in  connection  with  the  third 
blocking  expedition  to  Port  Arthur  which 
took  place  on  May  3.  After  that  exciting 


15 


night,  when  the  Japanese  ships  rode  through 
a terrible  hail  of  missiles  and  the  water  was 
continually  heaving  under  them  owing  to  the 
explosion  of  mines,  our  torpedo  boats  were 
deputed  to  rescue  from  the  sea  the  survivors. 
One  of  the  dead  bodies  then  recovered  was 
that  of  warrant  officer  Shikanosuke  Kage- 
yama,  who  had  gone  to  almost  certain  death 
in  the  Otaru  Maru.  On  opening  his  clothes 
there  was  found  in  his  breast-pocket  a booklet, 
which  was  soaked  with  water  and  blood.  The 
book  was  the  Gospel  of  St.  John.  An  officer, 
who  was  well  acquainted  with  the  deceased, 
states  that  this  book  of  the  beloved  disciple  of 
Christ  had  been  given  to  the  officer  by  Miss 
Maclean  of  London,  whose  hospitality  towards 
our  sailors  during  their  sojourn  in  England  is 
so  well  known.  It  appears  that  Kageyama  re- 
ceived the  present  during  his  visit  to  England 
as  one  of  the  crew  deputed  to  bring  the  battle- 
ship Mikasa  to  Japan.  Since  then  he  had 
never  parted  with  the  book,  and  had  read  it  in 
times  of  peace  as  well  as  in  war.  He  was 
naturally  a gallant  and  patriotic  sailor,  but  be- 
came more  so  on  account  of  the  admirable  faith 
he  derived  from  reading  the  invaluable  work. 
According  to  his  friend,  he  was  a firm  believer 
in  the  words  of  Christ  that  those  who  believe 


An  Honored 
Endeavorer 


Association 
Army  WorK 


i6 

shall  not  perish.  He  went  to  the  deadly  fight 
with  this  faith,  and  died  peacefully  with  the 
book  close  to  his  bosom.  As  a souvenir  of  a 
memorable  occasion,  the  book  was  deemed  too 
precious  to  be  buried  with  the  gallant  officer, 
and  it  was  accordingly  returned  a few  days  ago 
to  Miss  Maclean,  with  the  statement  of  the 
heroic  end  of  its  late  owner,  it  being  thought 
that  the  English  lady  would  be  glad  to  know 
that  her  gift  had  been  so  dearly  cherished  by 
one  of  the  best  and  bravest  of  the  Japanese 
sailors,  all  of  whom  she  loves  so  well.” 

Christian  Endeavorers  will  be  peculiarly  in- 
terested to  learn  that  Lieut.  N.  Shiwoten,  a 
young  officer  of  engineers,  who  is  a member  of 
the  Bancho  Kumiai  (Congregational)  Church, 
Tokyo,  and  of  its  Christian  Endeavor  Society, 
has  distinguished  himself  by  a special  display 
of  skill  and  bravery.  He  was  deputed  to 
choose  the  most  suitable  places  for  bridging 
the  Yalu  River,  and  so  well  did  he  do  his  work 
that  the  great  victory  of  Kulien  followed 
speedily. 

The  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association  is 
constantly  holding  meetings  in  Tokyo  and 
other  cities,  dealing  with  questions  growing 
out  of  the  war.  It  has  received  official  per- 
mission to  begin  work  on  its  own  lines  among 


17 


soldiers  at  Hiroshima  and  other  military  cen- 
ters, As  soon  as  conditions  in  Manchuria  are 
deemed  safe  by  the  authorities  a joint  com- 
mittee of  missionaries,  Young  Men’s  Christian 
Association  workers,  and  Japanese  pastors  are 
promised  permission  to  go  to  the  front  for 
personal  ministrations  to  the  soldiers  on  the 
field.  Committees  in  various  cities  are  collect- 
ing funds  which,  supplemented  by  gifts  from 
abroad,  are  to  be  used  for  the  erection  of 
greatly  needed  Young  Men’s  Christian  Asso- 
ciation halls  and  boarding  houses  for  students. 
Tokyo  and  Osaka  already  have  such  useful 
buildings. 

On  May  i6  there  was  held  in  Tokyo  an 
“all-religions  mass  meeting,”  attended  by  fully 
one  thousand  persons,  including  missionaries 
and  other  foreigners,  Japanese,  Christians, 
Buddhists,  Shintoists,  and  free  thinkers.  Ad- 
dresses were  made  by  representatives  of  various 
religions.  The  object  was  to  show  that  the 
present  war  was  neither  racial  nor  religious. 
It  was  a striking  proof  of  what  is  a fact,  that 
Japan  now  stands  before  the  world,  and  rightly 
so,  as  a champion  of  “ the  equality  and  frater- 
nity of  all  races.”  Let  it  not  be  thought  that 
Japan  is  entirely  given  up  to  the  pursuit  of 


A Sig’nificant 
Heetins; 


i8 


war.  It  is  true,  the  whole  nation  stands  be- 
hind the  government  and  the  fighters,  and 
lends  both  financial  and  moral  support  in  this 
grave  emergency.  Two  domestic  loans,  each 
of  one  hundred  million  yen,  were  subscribed 
on  the  day  of  issue,  and  were  covered  four 
times  over  before  the  time  limit  expired. 
Jewels,  family  plate,  and  curios  of  every  de- 
scription, as  well  as  coin  in  abundance,  have 
been  contributed  or  loaned  to  the  war  fund. 
Poems,  songs  and  speeches,  feasts,  farewells, 
and  personal  ministries  have  been  lavished  on 
the  soldiers  and  their  families  in  profusion. 


III.  The  Churches 


New 

Relig'iou* 

Ideas 


Christians  have  loyally  and  gladly  joined  in 
all  these  movements,  but  not  to  the  neglect  of 
their  ordinary  duties.  These  war  ministries 
have  been  extras,  not  substitutes.  Including 
Roman  and  Russo-Greek  Catholic  there  are 
nearly  a thousand  Christian  churches  in  Japan, 
and  as  many  more  preaching  places  where  reg- 
ular religious  meetings  are  held.  These  may 
seem  very  few  as  compared  with  the  109,145 
Buddhist  temples  and  191,962  Shinto  shrines. 
But  their  influence  is  all  out  of  proportion 
to  their  numbers.  By  the  sermons  preached, 
the  instruction  given  in  the  1,074  Protes- 


19 

tant  Sunday  schools,  the  help  of  Christian 
publications,  and  the  articles  of  Christian 
writers  in  the  secular  press,  new  terms  are 
finding  their  way  into  general  circulation  and 
deeper  meanings  are  being  forced  into  the  old- 
time  words  by  which  God,  righteousness, 
loyalty,  sin,  conversion,  purity,  heaven,  spirit- 
uality, fatherhood,  brotherhood,  and  their 
kind  are  rendered.  The  words  are  translated 
into  the  upper  air  of  spiritual  truth  and  life. 
They  carry  thought  and  activity  on  their 
ethereal  wings,  and  are  transforming  the  life 
of  the  nation. 

For  example,  a word  now  in  general  circu- 
lation is  Ten-yu  (heaven’s  help).  The  Emperor 
used  it  in  his  declaration  of  war,  Admiral  Togo 
in  his  despatches,  and  it  abounds  in  sermons, 
addresses,  and  newspaper  articles.  At  an  all- 
religions meeting  held  recently  in  a town  in 
Okayama  prefecture,  addressed  by  two  Chris- 
tians, two  Buddhists  and  one  Shintoist,  the 
last  named  claimed  good-naturedly,  but  with 
no  great  show  of  argument,  that  it  meant  the 
favor  of  Ame-terasu  Mikata-no-Kami  (the  sun 
goddess).  But  the  higher  Christian  concep- 
tion of  the  assistance  of  the  ruler  of  the  uni- 
verse, the  great  personal  God  and  Father  of 
all  mankind,  is  steadily  supplanting  other  less 
noble  meanings. 


Heaven’s 

Help 


20 


Additions 
to  Churches 


Church 

Erection 


Bible  Study 


The  io6  Kumiai  (Congregational)  churches, 
like  their  associates  of  other  Protestant  sects, 
are  receiving  more  new  members  into  their  fel- 
lowship than  for  ten  years  past.  Kobe  church 
reported  forty  adult  baptisms  at  a single  serv- 
ice and  the  Doshisha  church  at  Kyoto  twenty- 
one,  including  an  old-time  Confucianist  who  has 
been  for  years  the  professor  of  Chinese  lan- 
guage and  literature  at  the  college. 

Tsuyama  Congregational  Church  in  Oka- 
yama prefecture,  despite  the  war  and  hard 
times,  has  completed  and  dedicated  a fine  new 
church  home  and  built  a parsonage  close  to 
the  church.  This  has  the  honor  of  being  the 
first  complete  Kumiai  parsonage  in  Japan.  In 
a few  cases  the  up-stairs  or  rear  of  the  church 
is  used  in  lieu  of  a separate  home  for  the  pas- 
tor. This  church  could  not  have  been  built 
now  except  for  help  from  abroad  secured 
through  a local  missionary,  but  the  Japanese 
did  their  part  nobly,  one  man  contributing  a 
thousand  yen  for  the  project. 

One  church,  that  at  Okayama,  has  made 
special  use  during  the  past  two  years  of  a 
“ Bible-evangelistic-company  ” by  which  the 
New  Testament  has  been  taught  systematically 
to  individual  inquirers.  “One  Gospel,  one 
Bible  reader,  one  inquirer”  has  been  the  motto 


21 


and  it  suggests  the  method  employed.  One 
hundred  and  forty  different  persons  have  been 
continuously  under  instruction  during  the  past 
twelve  months.  “ It  puts  new  meaning  into 
the  Bible  ; ” “ now  I begin  to  understand  this 
hard  book  ; ” “I  never  imagined  the  Bible  was 
such  a delightful  book ; ” “ if  the  rest  of  the 
Bible  is  as  good  as  this  one  Gospel  I want  you 
to  teach  it  to  me”  are  some  of  the  testimonies 
elicited. 

At  Mr.  S.  Abe’s  ordination  to  the  Christian 
ministry  in  October  of  1903,  held  in  connec- 
tion with  the  annual  meeting  of  representa- 
tives of  the  Kumiai  churches  of  old  Japan, 
thirty  ordained  Japanese  pastors,  together  with 
three  missionaries,  stood  about  the  candidate 
while  Rev.  T.  Harada  of  Kobe,  Moderator  of 
the  Council,  offered  the  installation  prayer. 
This  is  the  largest  number  of  native  pastors 
who  ever  officiated  in  such  a service. 

Kobe  Church,  the  mother  church  of  our  fel- 
lowship in  Japan,  celebrated  last  spring  the 
thirtieth  anniversary  of  its  organization.  Dur- 
ing its  lifetime  thus  far  1,090  adult  members 
have  been  received  into  its  fellowship  by  profes- 
sion of  faith  and  373  by  letter.  The  present 
membership  is  somewhat  over  600.  A sum  of 
yen  2,500  was  asked  for  as  a celebration  fund 


Japanese 

Ordination 

Service 


The  Parent 
Church 


22 


Union 

Hymnal 


Christian 

Endeavor 


and  was  more  than  covered  by  the  contributions. 
One  member  (a  Japanese)  also  donated  “a 
handsome  pipe  top,  two  manual  Estey  organ 
for  the  enrichment  of  the  service  of  the 
church.” 

The  new  Union  hymn-book,  containing  nearly 
five  hundred  hymns  and  chants,  is  another  en- 
couraging proof  of  the  all-round  advancement 
of  the  church  in  Japan.  Mr.  Allchin  of  our 
own  mission  was  a prominent  member  of  the 
committee  that  prepared  this  useful  book  now 
in  general  use.  In  some  of  the  churches  ex- 
cellent solos  and  quartettes  are  rendered  in  the 
real  spirit  of  helpful  worship. 

One  Christian  Endeavorer  is  a prominent 
musician  at  the  capital,  while  another  (a  stu- 
dent) spends  his  vacations  in  touring  among 
the  country  churches  teaching  the  congrega- 
tions how  to  sing  more  correctly.  More  truly 
gospel  sermons,  even  though  many  of  them  are 
on  the  war  texts  of  Scripture,  greatly  improved 
music  and  a wider  acceptance  of  the  Christian 
Endeavor  principle  of  assigning  definite  com- 
mittee responsibilities  to  all  kinds  of  members, 
are  three  of  the  most  encouraging  movements 
in  recent  church  activity.  The  Japan  Home 
Missionary  Society  carries  on  work  at  seven 
important  centers  in  the  empire  and  is  just 


23 


inaugurating  its  first  venture  in  foreign  work 
by  sending  a preacher  to  Korea. 

IV.  Matters  Educational 

The  most  signal  victory  of  the  year  among 
the  schools  has  been  the  securing  by  the 
Doshisha  and  other  leading  Christian  institu- 
tions of  certain  privileges  hitherto  accorded 
only  to  government  institutions.  Private 
schools  are  now  placed  on  an  equality  with 
those  supported  by  public  money  in  the  mat- 
ters of  exemption  from  military  service  and 
of  entrance  to  higher  schools.  This  is  a great 
boon  to  the  students  and  cannot  fail  to  en- 
hance the  prestige  of  non-government  schools. 
All  Christian  schools  report  an  increase  in  at- 
tendance. Dr.  DeForest  quotes  a professor  in 
one  of  the  government  colleges  as  testifying 
that  the  Doshisha  is  famed  for  its  successful 
teachers  of  English  in  many  of  the  higher 
government  schools  and  he  well  adds  ; “ It  is  no 
small  piece  of  mission  work  to  be  giving  to 
this  progressive  nation  a knowledge  of  the  lan- 
guage that  contains  the  liberties  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  race,  and  embodies  also  the  religion  that 
made  those  liberties.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
hopeful  signs  of  the  times  that  this  nation 
loves  the  English  language  and  puts  it  far 
ahead  of  all  other  foreign  tongues.” 


Colleges 
and  Schools 
Aided 


24 


Traveling'  Kobe  College,  than  which  there  is  no  better 

Scholarships  i , r • ^ 

school  tor  young  women  m the  empire,  reports 
an  important  advance,  viz.,  a Mills  scholarship. 
One  of  its  best  graduates  has  recently  gone  to 
California  as  the  beneficiary  of  this  scholarship. 
She  will  make  a specialty  of  music.  President 
Charles  Cuthbert  Hall,  of  Union  Seminary, 
has  established  several  Japanese  scholarships 
at  Union  Seminary  and  arrangements  are  being 
made  with  other  Western  institutions  for  simi- 
lar help.  This  is  a form  of  international  serv- 
ice which  deserves  further  cultivation. 

V,  Charitable  Work 

A Royal  Gift  The  most  noteworthy  event  of  the  year  has 
been  the  recent  gift  by  the  Emperor  and  Em- 
press of  yen  2,000  to  the  endowment  fund  of 
the  Okayama  Orphanage.  It  is  noteworthy 
not  merely  because  of  its  generous  nature,  but 
because  coming  in  war  times,  when  soldiers  and 
their  families  absorb  so  much  of  the  practical 
sympathy  of  philanthropists,  it  sets  a fine  ex- 
ample to  the  nation  at  large  not  to  neglect  the 
claims  of  ordinary  charities,  and  further  be- 
cause it  is  the  first  Imperial  grant-in-aid  made 
to  a distinctly  Christian  institution.  It  was 
made  in  the  face  of  a strong  opposition  by  cer- 
tain conservatives  in  the  Imperial  Household 


25 


Department  and  is  rightly  interpreted  as  a proof 
that  religious  freedom  is  respected  in  high 
court  circles. 

Thanks  to  a gift  more  than  a year  ago  of 
^10,000  and  to  other  special  gifts  from  Japanese 
and  foreigners  and  to  the  remunerative  exhibi- 
tions given  all  over  the  empire  by  the  Orphan- 
age brass  band  and  kinetoscope  company,  the 
institution  is  moving  steadily  along  the  lines 
of  needed  development  and  enlargement  not- 
withstanding present  hard  times.  Six  hundred 
and  eighty  different  children  have  been  be- 
friended during  the  seventeen  years  since  Mr. 
J.  Ishii,  then  a poor  medical  student,  began 
this  great  work.  There  are  two  hundred  and 
sixty-one  children  now  in  the  Home.  Many 
of  the  graduates  are  well  established  in  America, 
Formosa,  Korea  or  Japan.  The  Maebashi 
Orphanage,  though  much  smaller,  is  also  well 
conducted  and  does  a valuable  work.  There 
are  a score  of  other  Christian  orphanages  in 
Japan,  but  these  two  are  of  special  interest  to 
Congregationalists  since  they  grew  out  of  the 
work  of  the  American  Board  and  are  still 
closely  connected  therewith. 

Passing  by  many  worthy  institutions  of  vari- 
ous sorts  we  must  refer  briefly  to  three  other 
forms  of  practical  Christian  service  which  are 


Orphans 

Aided 


Slum  WorH 


26 


A Blind 

Lawyer's 

Conversion 


bright  spots  just  at  present  in  the  land  of  the 
rising  sun. 

One  concerns  slum  work  for  very  poor  chil- 
dren and  their  families  in  the  gamblers’  and 
beggars’  district  of  Okayama  city.  This  work, 
inaugurated  and  still  superintended  by  Miss 
Adams  of  the  American  Board  Mission,  in- 
cludes day,  evening  and  Sunday  schools,  in- 
dustrial training,  regular  preaching  services, 
ministering  to  the  sick,  and  house  to  house 
visitation.  It  is  leavening  the  whole  district, 
and  has  won  the  hearty  approval  of  all  classes 
of  people,  including  the  governor  and  police 
officials.  The  transformation  wrought  in  one 
family,  the  work  at  first  of  a Junior  Endeav- 
orer,  by  which  idlers  have  been  turned  into, 
bread  winners,  gamblers  into  baptized  Chris- 
tians, and  a sink  of  corruption  into  a home 
filled  with  the  health-giving  life  and  light  of 
gospel  truth,  is  one  of  those  facts  of  the  faith 
life  that  are  stranger  than  fiction. 

Another  is  the  conversion,  largely  through 
the  instrumentality  of  one  of  our  missionaries, 
of  a very  intelligent  lawyer  in  Kobe,  who  has 
recently  become  blind.  His  affliction  drove 
him  to  the  cross  for  comfort.  He  found  first 
an  abounding  peace  for  himself  and  then  a 
burning  purpose  to  work  for  others  similarly 


27 


afflicted.  Blind  people  in  Japan  find  their  one 
consolation  in  gambling,  strange  as  it  may 
seem.  This  wise  worker  has  opened  at  his 
own  home  a training  school  for  blind  children, 
teaching  modern  methods  of  massage,  and  he 
finds  increasing  delight  in  rescuing  these  for- 
lorn victims  of  crime,  or  ignorance,  or  accident, 
as  are  a large  majority  of  Japan’s  sightless 
little  ones,  and  placing  them  in  a stimulating 
Christian  environment. 

The  third  is  the  work  for  factory  operatives 
at  Matsuyama,  on  the  island  of  Shikoku.  A 
Kumiai  Christian,  whose  thorough  conversion 
and  reformation  changed  a hopeless  youth  into 
a devoted  worker,  has  thrown  himself  into  this 
timely  form  of  Christian  social  service.  Dr. 
S.  L.  Gulick  reported  recently : “The  results 
of  our  experiment  of  a year  and  a half  are  al- 
ready exceedingly  gratifying.  The  good  will 
and  cooperation  of  the  factory  and  of  govern- 
ment officials  and  their  open  commendation 
have  been  secured.  The  girls  in  the  ‘ Home  ’ 
enjoy  conspicuously  better  health,  do  better 
work,  and  earn  and  send  home  more  money 
than  those  in  the  other  boarding  houses,  as 
careful  examination  has  shown.  In  six  months 
an  average  of  twenty  girls,  in  addition  to  pay- 
ing their  full  board  and  other  bills,  sent  to 


Factory 

Work 


28 


Christianity 

Recognized 


their  homes  yen  239.63,  whereas  from  the 
other  boarding  houses  practically  nothing  is 
sent.  But  better  than  the  money  showing  is 
the  moral  and  educational,  for  all  learn  to  read, 
write,  and  sew,  attainments  which  the  factory 
girls  in  Matsuyama  cannot  secure  elsewhere. 
The  Christian  hymns  they  are  learning  are  dis- 
placing the  immoral  songs  they  used  to  sing 
while  at  work.  In  a word,  their  womanhood 
is  being  raised.  They  will  be  much  better 
fitted  for  life’s  duties  and  for  motherhood 
than  would  otherwise  be  possible.  Through 
this  ‘ Home  ’ we  are  reaching  the  lowest  strata 
of  the  working  classes  of  Japan  and  providing 
them  with  ideals  and  motives  and  some  degree 
of  education,  and  this,  too,  in  a way  which 
does  not  tend  to  pauperize  them.  Each  girl 
pays  all  her  actual  expenses.” 

VI.  In  Conclusion 

The  yeast  of  Christian  truth  and  life  is 
working  in  the  seething  sponge  of  samurai 
Japan.  It  is  accomplishing  wonders,  even  in 
this  war  year.  Said  the  Christian  Endeavor 
district  secretary,  Mr.  Sawaya,  referring  re- 
cently to  the  usual  statement,  that  Japan  has 
three  religions,  Shintoism,  Buddhism,  and  Con- 
fucianism, “ I prefer  to  say  Japan  had  three 


29 


religions.  Today  she  has  at  least  four,  for 
Christianity  has  now  become  one  of  the  reli- 
gions of  the  empire.”  This  is  the  simple 
truth.  Moreover,  it  is  steadily  proving  itself 
to  be  the  most  lively  and  powerful  element  at 
work  in  new  Japan.  Its  mission  is  not  to 
antagonize  but  to  win,  not  to  destroy  but  to 
fulfill. 

The  world  is  tardily  recognizing  that  Japan 
is  the  leader  of  the  Orient.  What  she  is, 
Korea,  China  and  apparently  Manchuria  and 
Siberia  are  likely  to  become.  It  is  imperative 
that  everything  possible  in  the  way  of  sympa- 
thetic treatment,  financial  assistance,  prayerful 
remembrance  and  devoted  service  be  done  for 
her  during  these  next  few  months  and  years. 
A large  responsibility  for  this  timely  and  im- 
mensely important  labor  rests  upon  American 
Christians.  Congregationalists  and  Christian 
Endeavorers  must  not,  will  not,  fail  in  their 
part  of  this  glorious  mission.  New  mission- 
aries of  highest  qualifications  should  be  sent 
out,  larger  grants-in-aid  made  to  the  American 
Board  Mission  and  special  financial  assistance 
given  through  missionaries  on  the  ground  to 
help  tide  useful  institutions  over  the  war  shal- 
lows. The  year  after  the  war  will  be  an  even 
harder  one  than  the  year  of  the  war.  There 


Japan  the 
Key  to  the 
Orient 


3° 


are  shadows,  discouragements  and  distressing 
occurrences  in  Japan  enough  to  fill  a volume, 
but  we  have  purposely  omitted  them  from  this 
sketch. 

The  need  of  further  help  from  abroad  is 
unquestionably  urgent,  but  it  must  be  intelli- 
gently and  sympathetically  administered.  No 
mission  is  better  qualified  by  polity,  by  pres- 
tige, or  by  personality  to  do  this  waiting 
work  than  that  of  the  American  Board.  Mold 
Japan  and  you  will  mold  the  East.  Mold  the 
East  and  you  will  mold  the  world. 


Every  Christian  Endeavor 
Society  should  have  a 
Mission  Study  Class 

Use  “Sunrise  in  the  Sunrise  King- 
dom,’* by  the  well  known  missionary  of  the 
American  Board  and  writer,  Rev.  James  H.  De 
Forest,  of  Sendai,  Japan. 

Price  of  text-book:  cloth,  5octs. ; paper,  35  cts. 
(Express  or  postage  prepaid.  Send  cash  with 
order.) 

Jak.paLn  Reference  Library.  Nine  vol- 
umes. ^5.00. 

Printed  Helps  to  Lea-ders  free. 
Splendid  Supplementary  Litera.ture. 

Ng  Sg 

Address  inquiries  about  helps  to  leaders, 
pamphlets  for  missionary  committees  and  supple- 
mentary literature  on  Japan  to  H.  W.  HICKS 
14  Beacon  Street,  Boston. 

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